Food is the Best Medicine

By: Caroline Zappas

Serves: 1

Prep Time: 15 minutes

The perfect smoothie bowl for that time of the month!

The dreaded period. Whenever it comes, it comes with a myriad of unpleasant symptoms, mood swings, cramping, fatigue, bloating, and that’s not even an exhaustive list. (Mayo Clinic, 2022). What some women don’t know is we can combat these symptoms with our diet! By increasing our consumption of fiber and iron during those dreadful five to ten days, you can decrease the likelihood of experiencing the painful symptoms that coincide with getting your period. As cramping and bloating typically cause constipation, increasing the amount of fiber in your diet can help alleviate some of these symptoms. Research shows that women should try to eat at least 21-25 grams of fiber each day to ensure their digestive tract continues to function properly (Mayo Clinic, 2021). The staple ingredients of the recipe below - raspberries, dates, and chia seeds - are all foods that are exceptionally high in fiber, making this smoothie bowl the perfect period-pick-me-up snack!

Additionally, fatigue is one of the side effects of having a low amount of iron in your blood, which can potentially occur during menstruation (Cleveland Clinic, 2020). Adding foods that are high in iron to your diet, such as dark leafy greens, can help maintain a normal level of iron in the blood. It is recommended for women to get 18 milligrams of iron a day compared to only 8 milligrams for men (Cleveland Clinic, 2020). It is also recommended to eat a source of iron paired with a source of vitamin C as it helps your body absorb iron efficiently. Spinach, orange juice, and strawberries are ingredients in the recipe that, when combined, will ensure the iron is absorbed well and assists the body in circulating oxygen. Food truly is the best medicine!